Kobayashi on the spot as Guangzhou pegged back
Print Edition
KAWASAKI Frontale captain Yu Kobayashi coolly chipped home a penalty in the 5th minute of stoppage time to secure a richly-deserved AFC Champions League draw against Guangzhou Evergrande last night.
The Japanese side laid siege to the two-time Asian champion’s goalmouth after the prolific Brazil striker Alan put the home side ahead in the 26th minute with his third goal in three ACL outings.
Frontale was denied time and again after half-time by a series of saves using hands, feet and body by goalkeeper Zeng Cheng. And Kobayashi must have thought it was destined not to be his night when he finally beat Zeng with a 71st-minute snap-shot across goal after a sweet turn, only to see the ball cannon back off the foot of the post.
But deep into injury time Frontale’s persistence paid off when Evergrande’s Yu Hanchao made a hash of a clearance near the edge of his penalty area resulting in the ball striking first his left and then his right arm.
Qatari referee Abdulrahman al-Jassim pointed to the spot, despite protests from Evergrande players and coach Luiz Felipe Scolari who believed the contact had occurred outside the box.
Kobayashi’s last-gasp leveller leaves Group G wide open with Kawasaki closing to two points behind Guangzhou and Suwon Bluewings, who both have five points after the South Korean side beat Hong Kong, China, minnow Eastern 1-0.
Suwon left it late against the Hong Kong side which is in its first ACL campaign.
Brazilian Johnathan scored the headed winner from Yeom Ki-hun’s cross 12 minutes from time at Mongkok Stadium.
Another Japanese side, Kashima Antlers, took pole position at the top of ACL Group E with a comfortable 3-0 home win over Brisbane Roar.
South Korean side Ulsan Hyundai’s lackluster 0-0 draw with Muangthong United allowed the reigning J-League champion to leapfrog the undefeated Thai side in the Group E standings with six points from three matches, with Brisbane rock bottom having only managed a draw and two defeats.
The Japan side dominated and broke the deadlock when right-back Yukitoshi Ito’s cross in the 43rd was met by Yuma Suzuki, who powered home a volley into the bottom corner of Jamie Young’s goal. The Brisbane goalkeeper was then cruelly credited with an own goal in the 76th despite Naomichi Ueda seemingly kicking the ball from his grasp during a near-post scramble following a corner.
Three minutes later Young was powerless to stop Kashima sealing the points when Yasushi Endo found the net.
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